Download Coccinellidae, lady beetles

Beneficial Insects
Class Insecta, Insects
Order Coleoptera, Beetles
Coleoptera means “sheathed wings.” All beetles have hard forewings, called elytra, which do not help in flying but cover the
membranous hind wings and protect the abdomen. Beetles are the largest group of insects, making up approximately 40% of all
known insect species. Their habit, diet, and range are quite variable. About 40 families contain predaceous species. All beetles have
chewing mouthparts.
Lady beetles
Family Coccinellidae
Description and life history: This large group of important
predators is mostly predaceous as both larvae and adults.
Aphid-feeding larvae are usually slender, 3–15 mm long,
and black or dark gray with occasional bright colored
markings. They resemble lacewing larvae, but lack their
long mandibles. Mealybug and scale insect-feeding
larvae may be covered in a waxy white coating. Adults
are small, oval, and 8–10 mm. In addition to the familiar
brightly colored spotted lady beetles, this family includes
the tiny black spider mite destroyer and the black mealybug destroyer with an orange head and tail.
Prey species: Lady beetles feed on a range of insects,
including aphids, scales, mealybugs, whiteflies, and
occasionally spider mites and insect eggs. The convergent
lady beetle, Hippodamia convergens, which prefers
aphids, is one of the most common species in the North
Central United States. It is available commercially and
has been widely distributed. An introduced species, the
multicolored Asian ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis, feeds
on aphids and scale insects on trees and commonly
invades homes by the thousands in the fall.
Hippodamia convergens, convergent lady beetle adults. (308)
Photo: John Davidson
Hippodamia convergens, convergent lady beetle larva. (311)
Photo: Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service
Lady beetle egg clutch on pine needle. (309)
Photo: John Davidson
IPM of Midwest Landscapes
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Beneficial Insects
Lady beetles or ladybird beetles (continued)
Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, mealybug destroyer adults feeding
on a mealybug egg mass. (313)
Photo: David Laughlin
Harmonia axyridis, multicolored Asian lady beetle larva. (312)
Photo: John Davidson
Harmonia axyridis, multicolored Asian lady beetle adult with
eggs (left) and aphids (right). (310) Photo: John Davidson
Coleomegilla maculata, pink lady beetle (or 12-spotted lady
beetle) adult feeding on pollen. (317)
Photo: Jeff Hahn
Harmonia axyridis, multicolored Asia lady beetle pupa. (315)
Photo: John Davidson
Stethorus punctum picipes, adult spider mite destroyer that
specializes in controlling spider mite populations. (314)
Photo: Oregon State University Cooperative Extension Service
IPM of Midwest Landscapes
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Beneficial Insects
Lady beetles or ladybird beetles (continued)
From left to right: a spider mite, and three life stages of
Stethorus, larva, pupa, adult. (319)
Photo: John Davidson
Adalia bipunctata, twospotted lady beetle adult and pupa with
shed pupal skins. (318)
Photo: Whitney Cranshaw
Chilocorus stigma, twicestabbed lady beetle larva. Larvae have
spines, and adults are black with two small red spots. This
genus commonly attacks armored scale insects. (316)
Photo: Cliff Sadof
Chilocorus species pupate in their last larval skins, which are
spiny. (320)
Photo: John Davidson
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